Bride of the Sea God
by SinfulIndulgence
Summary: Forced to become the virgin sacrifice to the gods, Annabeth finds herself the bride to a minor sea god. She is warned to stay away from her new betrothed, but it's hard when every fiber of her being is attracted to him. Who is Percy Jackson, and why does her body remember every bit of his touch?
1. Prologue

A/N: Enjoy and leave a review! Partially based on the Korea manhwa, "Bride of the Water God"

* * *

**Annabeth**

What was death like?

That was the question asked by so many philosophers.

Annabeth had always hoped her own inevitable death would be painless, perhaps passing in her sleep in old age. Maybe her chosen partner would be by her side, if he hadn't passed first.

So why did death hurt so much?

She was cold, so cold. Icy water was rushing into her lungs, beating into her ears. Her silk chiton was plastered to her skin, weighing her down. Drowning hurt so much. She couldn't breathe without water filling her, demanding she hand over her life. The moonlight above her dimmed as the salt water stung her eyes whenever she tried to keep them open. Bubbles further obscured her vision and waves pummeled at her, threatening to pull her down into the cold dark depths.

_Give up. Give up. It'll hurt much less._ Voices chanted into her head. If she just let herself succumb, would all the pain go away? Was this how all the other sacrifices passed away?

But something within her couldn't give up on her so easily. She had to live.

With a kick, Annabeth propelled herself upwards and broke through the crashing waves. She nearly bumped her head into her small wooden boat, now bobbing upside down in the tumultuous waves.

There! Far away in the distance. Was that land she saw?

A small line of brown and yellow and green. Something that looked like building structures dotted the line of land.

With a new surge of strength, Annabeth swum forward. But the ocean was furious that its prey was lost. Seaweed seemed to tangle at her legs. Wave after wave tore through, trying to pull her down to a watery grave. Her clothes were only hindering her.

With no small effort, she unpinned her chiton and let the material tumble away in the waters. With the weight unloaded, she continued swimming.

She was getting close now. Then a large wave, taller than any of the waves she had been dealing with, came bearing down at her like a wall of bricks. She lost her bearing, her body sucked into the ocean.

The last thing she saw was the darkness that awaited her.

* * *

_Fourteen years ago_

Annabeth was eight when she saw her first Bride.

The Bride wore a silk chiton, her brunette hair pinned in a crown of braids. Purple ribbons strung throughout her hair, and a delicate gold hairpin contrasted the dark of her hair. Her lips were reddened like the color of berries, the same color dusting her cheeks. Annabeth thought the Bride looked beautiful like a goddess. But the Bride's expression was nothing short of horror.

This was the first time the Bride was dressed so extravagantly. And it would be her last.

Though the Bride was supposedly the most beautiful young woman from the village, Annabeth would soon find out that the Brides were always from the poorest families. Whenever the village fell on hard times such as plagues, droughts or poor grain yields, the village would always perform sacrifices to the gods. They would offer the best of their meager food supply, or slaughter their weakened animals as offerings. When that didn't work, they would sacrifice a Bride to the gods.

If the chosen Bride did not comply, her whole family would be slaughtered before her very eyes. This time, the chosen Bride was meek and obedient. She stepped onto the leaky boat the villagers had commissioned. With her was a few days supply of old stale bread and a jug of water. Perhaps her best hope was sailing onto another land or island before her supplies ran out. Otherwise, she could die out there in the lonely seas, plundered by storms or devoured by hungry sea creatures. Or perhaps, the villages prayed, the gods would find her a satisfactory Bride. The Bride would be among the deities, living a life of luxury and passing on good fortune to her village.

The present Bride suddenly broke down. She knelt on the boat, possibly from her legs giving out.

The head of the village council slapped at her, pushing her down. Her pretty face would be marred by her tears, and she would be rejected by the gods as a result.

Then men surged forward, pushing the boat out to sea. There, the tides took over, pulling the hapless Bride out.

Annabeth's father squeezed her little hand comfortingly. Her father was a scholar, taking care of the village's small library. A small and inconsequential role in the village. As such, her name had been up for draw in the choosing of the Bride, only her family did not have debts and she was too small to be a Bride, having not reached womanhood.

As far as she was concerned, the world of the gods and the Bride was far away from her.

How wrong she would be.


	2. Scroll 1

A/N: Enjoy and leave a review!

* * *

**Annabeth**

_Six days ago_

Annabeth shivered in the jail, fingering her bronze hairpin. The hairpin was the only memory left from her birth mother. The metal was still sharp after all these years, with a dainty owl at the top of a slim long needle. Tonight, the warm glow of the bronze hairpin was the only light she had in the dark, damp, and chilly cell. The hay on the floor smelled musty and dug into her legs.

How quickly her life had changed in the span of just a few moments. She had gone from a happy young woman in the village to a criminal, locked up for simply being poor.

Sure, her family had never been wealthy. Her father had a meager salary as a librarian, her stepmother cleaned the village chief's house as a maid, and Annabeth earned what she could, tutoring the bratty children of the wealthy. Her stepmother had been a slave, and her father sympathizing with her plight, had taken debt to pay enough money to buy her freedom. With all their combined income and her twin half-brothers, they were just enough to pay off the interest and a bit of the overall debt. Despite their financial situation, they were happy.

Annabeth breathed into her fingers, trying to get warmth in the cold fingertips.

This afternoon, her brothers had gotten into a fight with the village's most powerful and influential family's children. Meredith and Brad, the son and youngest daughter of the village chief, had jeered at Annabeth and her brothers when they walked past.

_"Look at the witch's children!" Brad called out._

_Matthew, on Annabeth's right, squeezed Annabeth's hand._

_"Just ignore them," Annabeth muttered to them._

_Ignoring usually worked. Her stepmother was from another country, far, far away from Greece, captured and brought here as a slave. The village was xenophobic, and combined with the fact that her family had no clout and was poor in the village, gave the some of the worst ill-bred villagers fodder for insults._

_Brad hurled more insults, quickly joined by his sister Meredith._

_"Your father is so stupid! I bet when he dies, we'll be able to cure his skin for a book!" Meredith jeered._

_"Daddy isn't stupid," Bobby grumbled. "Brad's stupid. He still can't tell his left foot from his right. Meredith couldn't pour water from a jug even if she held it upside down."_

_"Hush, Bobby," Annabeth murmured. She had been quick to learn as a child that retaliating only hurt more in the end. The whip scars on her back had been permanently tattoed at the age of nine._

_But the village chief's children only followed. "__Y__our sister is a spinster because she has no dowry. I heard her fiance left her because she was ugly."_

_Luke.__ The word left a bitter taste in Annabeth's mouth. _

_There was a long time ago where she had her hopes that she could one day start a family of her own. Luke was much older than her, but he had been kind and sweet. He'd even taught her how to wield a dagger once. But when the opportunity for him came to marry into the village chief's family, he had taken it. Of course, he wouldn't choose her. A poor girl with no connections and no dowry. _

_But that was fine with her. She wouldn't marry then. As long as she had her books from the library and her family was safe, who cared about men._

_"And your mother is a whore! How many men did she screw with as a slave?"_

_Matthew suddenly whirled around."Shut your mouth, Brad! My mom is not a-a whore, and Annabeth is so much prettier and talented than your hairy-ass sisters!" _

_Annabeth's heart sank. The situation couldn't get any worse. _

_Brad's face contorted into a sneer. Before Annabeth could attempt to talk things out, Brad grabbed a large rock and hurled it towards them. _

_"Watch out!" Annabeth grabbed the twins and covered them with her body. She tried to duck, but the rock clipped her shoulder. Pain flared, but as long as her brothers were ok, she could deal with it. _

_"What's with all this racket?" _

_Annabeth looked up into the eyes of the village chief, eyes glinting with mirthless cruelty. _

Of course, the village chief would twist the situation into something where she was suddenly the one to toss the rock at his children. Then she was shoved into the jail without the ability to defend herself. The judge, jury, and court were all paid by the village chief's coffers. Her parents weren't even able to meet with her. Over all the years of abuse she had endured, this was the worse.

Annabeth was considering using her hairpin to pick the lock and escape when her ears perked up. There were feet shuffling and muffled whispers in the hallway. The heavy jail door opened.

"You," Annabeth scowled.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare turned her nose up at the dingy jail exteriors as if smelling an unpleasant odor. "Manners, Chase. But I suppose one's environment reflects the filth that you are."

Annabeth resisted the urge to grab Rachel's curly red hair and shove her bronze hairpin into her skull. But she didn't need attempted murder on her rap sheet as well. Rachel was the oldest daughter of the village chief's family. The classic auburn hair was the feature trait of the Dares. Beautiful but ruthless, Rachel was the one Annabeth tried to avoid the most. Besides, Rachel's two bodyguards looked they could easily overpower her with their wicked sharp swords.

"What do you want?" Annabeth spat.

"Watch the attitude, darling." Rachel sneered. "You don't want to waste the only help you've got."

"Help?" Annabeth's eyebrows raised. Any help from Rachel was a double-edged sword. "Why would you help me?"

"Because you are something that I need." Rachel's eyes narrowed. "The village is going to perform another bridal sacrifice."

"What does that have to do with me?" Her heart was sinking, dreading what Rachel was going to say next.

"Use your head, I thought you were supposed to be intelligent, being a tutor and all." Rachel kicked at a piece of hay distastefully. "Common practice is that the bridal sacrifice is the most beautiful woman in the village. But since that's me and all, I'd rather not be sacrificed at all. After all, I have a fiance to marry."

"You're giving way too much praise to yourself," Annabeth muttered darkly. Luke was an idiot to fall for someone like her.

"Shut it, Chase. Of course you can't compare yourself to my beauty. But you'll do for the gods," Rachel sniffed, giving an indication of what she thought of the gods. Annabeth was surprised the gods didn't immediately smite her. Perhaps the gods weren't real at all, since the good like the family suffered while the evil prospered. "You'll volunteer in my place, and I'll make sure your family is cleared. Or else," Rachel smiled threateningly. "Your two brothers, oh dear. They'll be hanged with you."

"How dare you-" Annabeth stood up fast. But the guards were already there with their swordpoint at her neck.

"Think about it, Chase. I'll even clear your family's debt," Rachel said, sing-songingly. "If not, your whole family will perish."

"The other brides...is this how you forced them, too?"

Rachel only smiled cruelly.

Annabeth bit back the tears stinging in her eyes. She was clutching her hairpin so hard, She hated this feeling, this feeling of being powerless. But what else could she do? Rachel must have already predicted this, since there was no way for her to escape.

"Will you swear on the River Styx?"

Rachel snorted, the gesture unflattering. "You don't trust my word?"

"Swear it."

Rachel stared at her, then shrugged. "Fine. I swear on the River Styx that if you become the next bride to the gods, I'll let your family go and even pay their debt." She nodded to her bodyguards and turned to leave. "I hope you live, Chase. I wonder how long it takes for a mortal to die out on the seas."

Then the door clanged shut. Annabeth sank to her knees and let out her sobs.

* * *

_Five days before_

Annabeth winced when the brush snagged through one of her blonde curls.

"If you brushed it more often, it wouldn't hurt so much!" Her stepmother frowned. But the tone of her voice and her teary eyes belied her words.

She was being dolled up as a bride. A white linen peplos was thrown at her for a wedding gown, and a soft woolen epiblema would be her only shelter from the weather on the seas. Her unruly hair was being braided and pinned into a crown atop of her head.

"There." Her stepmother pinned her owl hairpin into her hair. "Y-you look beautiful, Annabeth."

Bobby slid his small hand into hers, his wide innocent eyes about to brim over with tears.

"I'll be fine, Bobby. When I meet the gods, I'll ask them to bless our family. I-I'll even ask them to send you a few toys, how about that?" Annabeth soothed him.

But Bobby only buried his head into the folds of her peplos. Matthew let loose a sob.

"Bobby, you'll ruin her dress." Her stepmother gently pulled her son away. "It's time."

The whole village had gathered at the shore to send her off. Annabeth grimaced. She hated being the center of attention.

And was that her boat? Somehow the boat looked even more dilapidated than all the other brides had had. It was barely big enough to fit her and her small satchel of bread and two jugs of wine.

Annabeth caught Rachel's eyes. Rachel only smirked. And Luke, oh gods, Luke. He stared impassively at her, but when their eyes met, he turned away.

Fine. That was all fine. As long as her family was safe.

Annabeth was done crying and bowing down. She steeled her nerves and walked onto the boat.

"B-be safe," her father said, his voice cracking. He shoved something into her hands, and Annabeth realized that a hunk of cheese wrapped in cloth. Cheese was a luxury for their family. "I love you, Annabeth," he murmured.

Tears were threatening to come up again. Before Annabeth could say anything back, a lone wind, perhaps sent from the gods, blew the ship out of the harbor. Annabeth was nearly tossed into the sea, dropping the cheese onto the floor of the boat.

And then the faint cries and screams of her family at the shore diminished as the boat picked up speed to the middle of nowhere.

* * *

A/N: Strength comes in many ways, and that's one thing I admire about Annabeth. She may not be the most physically strong, but she's wily and mentally strong. It takes guts to sacrifice your happiness for your family.

peplos = a sort of tunic made from a rectangular piece of cloth, pinned at the shoulders and hips, usually floor length for women

epiblema = a shawl


	3. Scroll 2

A/N: Hi loves, thank you all for reading. Enjoy and leave a review!

* * *

**Percy**

_Present_

**Whoosh!**

A large being shot straight out of the sea, propelled by a gigantic wave of salt water. Percy tucked and landed smoothly onto the rocky shore, his robes dry to the bone and hair perfectly windswept.

Unfortunately, he wasn't as alone on the beach as he had thought.

"Seriously?" A voice squealed.

Percy startled at the indignant voice. His sudden appearance onto the beach startled two rock nymphs. One had fallen off from her rock perch and into the waves. Quarzite, he recalled her name. She had propositioned him the other day when he was swimming naked in the sea. He wasn't sure whose face was redder, his or hers. Not exactly the best way to be proposed to, he was sure.

"Sorry, ladies." He apologized as he trudged up the beach.

"Hmmph," Quarzite grumbled and then disappeared into a poof of gray mist. She was probably still miffed that he had declined her. The other nymph, Shale, merely winked and blew a kiss at him before following her friend in a poof of mist.

Percy sighed, rubbing his forehead where a migraine was sure to develop. Despite being 133 years old, he still had no idea how to deal with females. You'd think he would at least gained some tips on how to communicate with females.

Well, for now he'd make sure not to sit down and contemplate life on those rocks for a few weeks, lest Quarzite move her rock and Percy would find his butt crashing into a pile of sand.

He had already not been having a good day since the council meeting. Triton, his half-brother, had made every effort into baiting and insulting him at the meeting, trying to prove that Percy was an inadequate minor sea god, with an extra emphasis on the minor portion.

_You don't deserve the title of Father's lieutenant,_ Triton had sneered. _You couldn't even protect the people you love. Naturally, I am the heir of the seas. _

Percy didn't even want the stupid position of being heir to the seas. He had resisted the urge to skewer two tridents in both of Triton's fish tails and call him god of the double shish-kebabs.

Of course, all this was not said within their Father's earshot. Even then, Poseidon probably wouldn't take either of his sons' side. Though Percy was a favored son of Poseidon, he was also an illegitimate child of an affair and Triton was the true son of Poseidon's wife. Triton ranked higher on the Royal side. At least his half-brother didn't dare to do anything in their Father's presence. Coward.

Hate it as he might, Triton was right about one thing. Percy had failed in protecting the people he loved when it really mattered. His mother, his first love... He might have saved the world at the cost of losing all those he cared about, but the acceptance of immortality turned out to be a punishment where he had all eternity to reflect on his failures. Perhaps it would have been better to pass to the Underworld, where he could at least meet those whom he had loved and cared for.

Percy shook his head. Now was not the time to think depressing thoughts. He had made a promise to smile after all.

_Lord, my lord! Lord, please help!_

Percy turned around towards the sea, sighing. He was almost halfway up the beach to his island villa. So close to taking a break, Percy ruefully thought. He turned around and all thoughts of tiredness washed out of his mind.

Four hippocampi, beautiful sea creatures with the front bodies of horses and back ends of fish tails, were dangerously close to the shore. They never came so close to shore, since there would barely be any space for them to swim. So why were they so close?

_Lord, please! You must hurry!_

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." Percy jogged down and then nearly tripped on one of Quarzite's rocks.

_Yes, lord, hurry!_

There was not four hippocampi as he had originally thought. The hippocampi were gathered close together, supporting a fourth form. Was it another sea creatures that was injured? Sometimes the hippocampi played a little too close to the sea surface and could entangled in fishing nets.

Then he saw the hair, glistening like golden wheat in the sea spray.

"Aw, shit," he muttered. Within seconds he had reached the hippocampi.

_Is she alive? Is she breathing? Can I eat her hair?_

"Wait, what? Who said that last one?" Percy and the other two hippocampi stared at the middle hippocampus, a roan colored one who had the decency to look away, slightly ashamed.

_Sorry lord. Looks like hay. _

"You've been spending too much time with the pegasi. Hippocampi should stick to seaweed." Percy grumbled. "Now, let's see here."

Judging by the chest bound with tattered cloth, the body belonged to a young female woman. The body was light as he picked her up, and even he could feel how bony the poor woman was. She was wet all over, but she was still warm. Still alive. Percy delicately brushed off the hair from her face so she could breathe better.

Percy winced as he saw the state of her face. Bruises and slight gashes adorned her face, perhaps from colliding with the rocky reefs that bordered the island. Her lips were cracked and dry. With his arms around her, he could feel rough bumpy skin in stripes on her back. He knew the feeling of that kind of skin, since he had been whipped back when he was a mortal.

_Will she be alright, lord? _The nervous hippocampi whinnied.

"Yeah, she's alive, but just barely. How did you find her?"

_Floating in the water, lord. Yes, yes, among the wreckage of a small boat, we think. She was swimming this direction and falling down into the ocean when we picked her up._

So she was shipwrecked, yet she was swimming here. Percy frowned. The magic and Mist of his island villa made it that no humans could ever encounter his place. Mortals would find their ships being gently pushed in another direction, and their eyes would simply glaze over the island as if it didn't exist. So was she human? Or perhaps she was like his mother, a human who had especially acute Sight and could see past the Mist.

"Thank you all. I'll take care of her from now. Keep on the lookout for more survivors, alright?"

_Yes, yes lord!_

The hippocampi disappeared back into the depths of the seas. Percy had a feeling they would be searching for survivors for a long while. But the hippocampi had said the girl came from a small boat. It would be a suicide mission to come into the seas with anything less sturdy than a ship or gallery. Now was not the time to figure out her back story. The girl was close to death, he could tell.

Despite the lazy heat of the sun, the poor girl shivered in his arms as he headed towards his villa. She was wearing nothing other than the few strips of cloth binding her chest and the remains of a chiton barely covering her lower parts. Her small feet, dainty and vulnerable, were bare. Struggling to carry her at the same time, Percy took off his cloak and wrapped it around the girl.

"Grover? Juniper?" He called out as he stepped into the halls of his villa.

Poof! With a green mist, the wood nymph appeared. "What's the matter? Oh my!" Juniper peered at the bundle in his arms. Her brown eyes tinged with green chlorophyll looked at him reproachfully. "She's half-drowned to death."

"It wasn't me!" Percy protested. "Some hippocampi found her drowning in the sea. I'm going to put her into a room. Could you find Grover, please? Maybe he can do his nature magic on her."

Juniper nodded and disappeared to search for the satyr. Percy quickly hurried to the guest room, cursing that the villa given to him was so big. He kicked open the doors of the room and laid the woman on the bed.

"I'm here! Where's the emergency?"

Grover came bursting in, holding an assortment of herbs and foul-smelling pastes. Juniper followed closely, lugging a large jug of nectar.

The satyr bent down over the girl, wincing as he inspected some of her wounds. "Yikes, that looked like it hurt."

"Will she be fine?" Percy asked. The girl's lips were beginning to turn blue.

Grover muttered something over her, then pressed a weird gunk of green paste over a particularly bad bruise on the girl's forehead. "Dehydrated, some light wounds but its not too bad. Those scratches are all flash but no fire. Another half day out there in the ocean and she would be on her way to the Underworld. Juniper?"

Juniper stepped up and dribbled some nectar into the girl's mouth.

"Woah, what are you doing?" Percy almost knocked the jug of nectar from her hands. He glanced anxiously at the girl, almost expecting her to burst into flames from the nectar.

"What?" Juniper demanded. "I thought you wanted me to heal her." Shaking her auburn hair, she went back to slowly feeding the girl nectar.

"Hold up? She's not human?" Percy asked. Nectar was harmful to anyone not descended from the gods.

Grover sniffed the air. "Strong scent of the ocean. Naturally, since she almost died in there. Just a hint of lemongrass and strawberries. Definitely human. And yup, underneath all that, smell of a demigod."

Percy looked down at the female demigod curled up in his guest bedroom. Her skin color was looking much better after the nectar and Grover's nature magic.

"Any indication of which god is her parent?"

Grover shook his curly brown head. "The sea smell is too strong. We'll have to wait until she gets better. If she even knows who her godly parent is."

Grover and Juniper slowly healed the unknown demigod some more while Percy watched anxiously by the side. He had no experience and no need for healing knowledge, especially since water always healed him as a demigod. As a god, he hardly expected to be hurt.

Looking at the small form on the bed, he felt a twinge of sympathy. The life of a demigod was always harsh, especially as a child of the major Olympians.

"Um, Percy?" Grover said, anxiously.

"What, what? Oh my gods, she's not dying, is she?" Percy rushed to their sides.

"Who...what?"

The demigod had awakened, her eyes disoriented. But it was those eyes that made him pause.

"Ah, shit," Percy whispered as those grey eyes closed in exhaustion.

"Percy, you're not going to throw her out into the ocean, are you?" Juniper frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes flashed defiantly as she moved protectively over the demigod.

"Of course not, Juniper. I'm not heartless." Percy stared down at the girl who had fallen asleep.

He wondered what the Fates were planning for him again, to have a child of his father's rival in his household.


	4. Scroll 3

**A/N: Thanks for reading, everyone!**

**Love that you all have been reviewing, it's a great morale booster and helps me to keep going with the story. Here's a couple of things to address:**

**1) This story isn't going to be completely anon, nor will I have many characters be OOC. That's the beauty of fanfiction, after all! Some characters will tend to be more on the canon side, and some will not. Artistic vision demands the bending of rules and the sacrifice of a few characters, or else it'll just detract from the story over all. But I assure you all that my stories will remain top notch quality even if characters are not all canon. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this ride! Or idk, I can't force you to like this. **

**2) In regards to having longer chapters, I've been meaning to make them longer. However, with studying and work, longer chapters means longer waits in between updates. Please be patient with me in that case c:**

**And now, onto the story!**

* * *

**Annabeth**

_The sounds of battle were all around her. _

_Was she in battle? _

_Her dreams were usually about her family, or the occasional nightmare about losing one of her tutoring students. But why did this dream seem so vaguely familiar? _

_A large inky black dog jumped at her, about the size of a overly beefed up ox. Her instincts took over and her sword slashed through the hound like it was made of clay. Golden dust rained down on her as the monster was instantly vaporized. _

_Okay. She was grasping a sword in her right hand and a shield on the left. She was pretty sure she had never handled a sword in her life before, with a kitchen knife being the closest thing she can think of. But holding this sword seemed like second nature. Weird. _

_Someone was beside her, slashing at dracanae that dared to venture close. His sword was a flash of bronze, glinting in the sun. She couldn't see the face of the person beside her, but she knew she trusted him with her life, and he with hers._

_Nearby, her second-in-command cried out as he went under a giant's club. Pain and sadness flared in her heart as she saw his broken body. But when did she have a second-in-command? His face looked so familiar, and the pain of seeing him falling was overwhelming. Somehow, it seemed like she had just lost someone who was like a brother to her._

_Stop it, she wanted to say. I don't want this dream. _

_Whatever god controlled dreams must have been listening because the scene suddenly shifted. _

_Now she was in the water, drowning. Salt water stung her eyes and seeped into her mouth. Ah, that's right. Her memory was coming back. She was sent away to be a bride for the gods, and her boat had flipped in a storm. Was this reality? _

_She was sinking fast, and her bronze hairpin had slipped out of her hair. Annabeth made a desperate grab for it, but she was too weak. _

_Up above her, she thought she saw a humanoid form, hovering in the waters. _

_Save me, she wanted to say. _

_The humanoid face seemed to twist in a cruel sneer. Save you, my dear? The voice seemed to whisper in her mind. No, I cannot. But I bring to you a warning. The green eyed one will bring you pain and suffering, even worse than death. Wouldn't it be better to die out here? _

_Annabeth struggled as ropes of seaweed seemed to reach form below her and tangle her limbs. No, she wanted to say. I refuse to die. _

_So be it, the humanoid form cackled. Let the green eyed one bring your destruction!_

Then, Annabeth's eyes opened. The first thing she saw was a gray shale ceiling, dotted with the iridescent colors of abalone shells and mother-of-pearl.

So she wasn't drowning, after all. Unless she somehow ended up on the bottom of the sea. In that case, the bottom of the sea was actually quite beautiful.

Slowly, more of Annabeth's senses were coming around, though her head was pounding and she had an urge to hurl all the stale bread she had consumed over the past couple of days. She was so comfortable laying there. What sort of magical bed was she laying on? She was used to hay or hard wooden beds, but whatever bed she was on felt like laying on feathers.

Turning her head to the right, she was faced with a window. Lace curtains were pulled to the side, slowly waving in the gentle breeze. Outside, the sun was shining lazily, basking the room with its warm glow. The ocean she had nearly drowned in was right outside as the breeze brought in the scent of the sea.

Annabeth turned her head to the left and nearly startled. She wasn't alone in the room.

A young man with jet black hair was nodding off with arms crossed against his chest in a chair by her bed. His mouth was open just a little, enough that she could spot a dribble of drool at the corner of his lips. The comical sight of him actually made her snicker just a bit, the first time she had truly laughed in a long while. Was he her savior?

She pushed herself up but regretted it as her vision blurred.

"Ugh," Annabeth groaned.

The man woke immediately. "Well, the sleeping princess awakes. Take it easy there. You feeling better?" His voice was deep but soothing, like the calm lull of ocean waves at night. It was a welcoming sound, especially since the voice in her dream had been harsh and cruel.

She clutched her head, trying to stop the room from spinning. "Yeah...yeah. Just give me a moment."

The stranger gently placed a pillow behind her back, helping to support her. "Careful there. Can't have you fainting again, can we?"

"How long was I out?"

The man stopped to calculate. "Hmm, two days since we found you?"

"Two days?" Well that explained her headache and the dry fuzziness of her tongue. So it had been a week since she had left her village. How was her family doing? Did Rachel keep her promise? "I...I'm not dead, am I?"

The young man grinned. "No more dead than I'm a ghost."

"So not dead." Her mind was slowly trying to register everything. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, having escaped from their former elaborate hairstyle. Her owl hairpin was gone, she realized with sadness. The only memory of her mother and she had lost it.

She was also wearing a soft chiton that didn't belong to her. Usually her chitons were made out of rough cotton, but this one was soft and clung to her like a second skin.

"Um, were you the one who changed..."

Her savior seemed to blush. "Oh gods, no. That was Juniper."

"I'm Percy, by the way."

Now that her vision had cleared up, Annabeth could appraise the stranger before her. She shakily took the hand that was offered to her. He was warm, real flesh, muscle, and bone before her. "Annabeth, and thank you. For all of this."

Percy smiled again, the smile slightly lopsided but showing off pearly white teeth and a dimple. He was tanned, as though he had spent many days under the sun. He wore a cloak and chiton, but his lean and muscular physique shone through. A hint of the sea and the sunshine wafted off of him, probably a contrast to how she smelled like a heap of rotten seaweed left baking in the sun.

Annabeth had never really paid attention to members of the opposite sex (except for Luke), but she could tell Percy was handsome. Really handsome, actually, with his chiseled features and ruffled dark hair.

Then her mind registered the color of his eyes.

Green.

He must have noticed her shock and mistaken it for seasickness. His green eyes were now full of concern. "Hey, you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?"

"I-I'm fine. Just dizzy for a moment."

Could it be a coincidence? She could still remember the humanoid voice from her dream telling her to beware the one with green eyes. How much of a coincidence that the first person she met after the dream had green eyes?

But somehow Percy gave off a soothing air. This was the first time she had met Percy, but her instincts told her that she could trust him. And her instincts were primarily never wrong. Perhaps the humanoid voice, which was definitely not friendly in her mind, was trying to keep her from trusting this man. There was even something vaguely familiar about him, but the more she tried to think about it, the more her head hurt.

"Here. Drink this." Percy handed her a small cup of what looked like apple cider.

Annabeth took a cautious sip and almost choked. It wasn't that the drink was bad, not by any means. Instead of the taste of apples, the drink tasted like warm squash soup, the kind her father used to make with a hearty chunk of bread on winter nights. Instantly, strength seemed to fill her body though she was still feeling sore. Her headache faded to less than a dull throb. Without her knowing it, she soon found herself with an empty cup.

"What was that drink?"

Percy studied her, almost as if he was searching for any lies. "Nectar," he finally said.

"Like the stuff from plants?" But the drink didn't taste sweet at all.

"No." He set the cup gingerly down then inspected her with probing eyes. Annabeth didn't like being stared at but she met his eyes with a steady gaze. "I'm guessing you don't know what you are, then."

Annabeth blinked. "No, I remember. I told you my name is Annabeth."

"That's _who_ you are, not _what_ you are."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Let me reintroduce myself again. I'm Percy, son of the sea god. And you, Annabeth, are a demigod."

There was silence for a few moments. Annabeth waited for Percy to say that he was joking but his green eyes were dead serious.

"Okay. A demigod. Like Heracles." Annabeth finally said. Percy nodded. Her throat felt drier than it did before as she considered her next words. "You're saying my birth mother was a goddess."

"You're taking it rather well," Percy noted. "And you caught on quick. Spoken like a true daughter of..." His voice trailed off.

To be fair, if Annabeth still didn't feel like her body was bruised and battered, she might have run away from what could be considered a nutcase. But Percy seemed to be telling the truth.

Her father, absentminded and forever buried in research books, able to attract the attention of a goddess? Nah. She was surprised that Helen, her stepmother, could keep up with her father's bookish and naive ways. Yet, there was something familiar about the story that he was spinning. Somehow she did believe it, like she'd heard it before. But from where?

"I guess... it's not that I believe you 100%. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this." Annabeth mulled for a bit. If Percy claimed he was a son of the sea god, shouldn't he have some kind of sea powers or something?

Percy stood up and took a brooch that had been pinned on his cloak. In his hand, the brooch seemed to elongate until it turned into a gleaming bronze sword, three feet long with a simple leather hilt studded with gold. Had she seen this sword before? Perhaps it was like the sword she had held in her nightmare.

"The metal is called Celestial bronze. Forged in the Cyclopes' armory and cooled in the river Lethe. Lethal to all monsters but harmless to mortals."

Annabeth's mouth dropped. "Oh, wow. Where can I get one of that?"

Percy laughed. He turned his sword back into a brooch. "We'll see what we can fit you with from the armory. As a demigod, you're vulnerable to both mortal weapons and Celestial bronze."

"That's unfortunate."

At that moment, her stomach chose to emit the sound quite like a whale's.

"Perhaps lunch first." Percy offered her his hand. "Do you feel well enough to get up from bed, or do you want me to bring lunch to you?"

She stared at the hand. Oh, what the heck. She'd stayed in the bed for too long, two days if she recalled what Percy had told her. With that, Annabeth took his hand. His hand was calloused, the signs of a warrior who had seen many battles, but it was also warm and reassuring.

Annabeth's thoughts spun a hundred miles per hours in her head as Percy gave her a tour of the villa. There were so many questions unanswered. What had Percy meant about being a true daughter? Did he know who her real mother was? And most importantly, could she ever return to her family, to the life she had known before? But part of her knew the truth, the village head had made sure that if any bride who somehow survived the journey and came back to the village would be killed on sight.

Then her questions were being disrupted by the many beautiful sights of the villa.

The mansion was situated on one half of the island, with the other half covered by thick woods. Far off in the distance, she could see wood nymphs flitting and being chased by satyrs. Naiads went in and out of the pond nearby. There was even what seemed like a training ground, with stray dummies for practice use.

The building itself was large, three floors with walls made of gray slate walls decorated with beautiful pearls, coral, and shells. Annabeth could really appreciate the slender columns that supported the hallways. Bronze water fountains decorated the corners, casting shimmery blue light.

She wasn't much of an interior designer but she could appreciate the beauty and simplicity of the place. What she truly admired though was the architecture of the villa with its stately columns, murals and statues. She could already imagine what changes she could make to the villa, such as instating a large atrium that let in gorgeous light during the day and a spectacular view of the stars at night.

Ah yes, architecture. Something that she could build to last the ages. To outlast the insults she had faced throughout the years, to show the world, that Annabeth Chase was worth something.

"And here is the library." Percy opened the bronze doors.

Annabeth could barely cover her gasp. The library her father worked in was the only library in the village. It was a small collection, and she had practically read almost everything three or four times and memorized by heart.

But the library here was massive and beautiful. Oak wood made the shelves that stretched from floor to ceilings. The library covered two floors, with a staircase heading to the second floor. Large windows let in natural light, cozy enough to spend days and days reading in. And the scrolls! She had never seen so many scrolls gathered in one place. There were scrolls on so many topics, from agriculture to folktales to fiction. And the smell of papyrus was tantalizing.

Percy leaned against the doorway, grinning at the expression on her face. "I'm taking that you think the library is the best place in here?"

"Are those books by Homer? These are the original!" Annabeth rushed to the scrolls. Nothing felt better than having the feel of a scroll unroll between her fingers. "How did you get all these?"

A peculiar look came over Percy's face, as if he was transported far away in a memory. "I just started collecting them on my travels, I guess."

"Could I borrow some of these?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure thing. But you really should eat lunch first. Now come on, those scrolls aren't going to grow legs and spontaneously walk away," Percy added as her face fell. "Well, I guess that happened to me once in Crete. But I can't say anything more about what happened there, because what happens in Crete stays in Crete."

He led her to a large courtyard overlooking the horizon. Platters of fresh fruits, cheese, bread, and roasted fowl floated towards them, born by invisible wind spirits. Nymphs melted from trees and satyrs came trotting up to join them for food. He introduced her to Grover and Juniper whom she thanked profusely for helping to save her life. Before long, the tables were full of laughter and the sounds of feasting.

For once, Annabeth felt safe enough to let most of her her guard down. No more walking around in the village on eggshells, trying not to attract the wrong attention. No more trying to survive on a leaky boat.

Of course, there still things she was quite wary of. So far Annabeth had noted that besides Percy and her, there seemed to be no one else, well, human on the island. There were the nature spirits and satyrs, but no other demigods or humans to be seen.

"Percy?"

"Hmm, what is it?" He swallowed the last bite of his blue fig. Apparently, the son of the sea god had a preference for blue fruits like blue grapes.

"Are there other demigods on this island?"

There it was again, that faraway sad look in those green eyes of his. "No, there's just me. And well, now there's you?"

"Um, I'm allowed to leave, right?"

He laughed. "You're not a prisoner, Annabeth. You can leave any time you want. Although, since you just found out that you're a demigod, monsters will be more attracted to your demigod scent. You probably want to train a bit before you leave, or at least have a decent weapon."

Leave and go where? For the first time, Annabeth became conscious she had nowhere else to go. "And if I want to stay?" She ventured.

Percy smiled. She was beginning to get used to those smiles. "Then you can stay as long as you want."

* * *

**Tyson**

What was this? The Cyclops was wandering around the sea floor when it spotted something shiny in the murky silt. "Look what I found!" He called out.

"Not fair," his merman friend grumbled. "You only have one eye yet you're the one finding all this cool treasure. What is it?"

Tyson turned the object in his large hands. "Very good worksmanship. It's a hairpin."

His friend swum over. "Celestial bronze. Hmm, is that an owl at the top?"

Before Tyson could say anything, the hairpin was snatched out of his hands. "Hey!" He protested. "That's not nice!" Tyson's brown eye widened before his words faltered. He hated interacting with this person at all costs. There was something so slimy about the hairpin thief, with his double fish tails and the wicked trident in his hand. His friend bowed respectfully at the newcomer, but he was slightly shaking.

The figure before them inspected the hairpin, noting the owl at the top. Triton grinned, his sharp teeth baring like a shark that had its prey in its jaw. "I think it's time I pay my little brother a visit."

* * *

A/N: Wow, I just realized that all of Annabeth's point of views have been somewhat dark. Perhaps the entrance of Percy will bring some more light into her life and vice versa?

Also, something that I've been thinking about ever since I read this series: IS PERCY ALLOWED TO EAT FISH AS A SON OF THE SEA GOD?


	5. Scroll 4

A/N: Ya girl was busy studying every night :/ Enjoy and leave a review! I own nothing but the plot, obviously.

* * *

**Annabeth**

Adjusting to island life took time, but it was a somehow easier than Annabeth would have expected.

The island was small but beautiful with its wild greenery and striking architecture of the villa. The smell of sweet eucalyptus mixed with the fresh salty tang of the ocean. The woods were teeming with deer, birds, and rabbits. Nothing dangerous wandered around, although Juniper the tree nymph warned her that sometimes the satyrs set traps for unsuspecting rabbits, nymphs, and potentially an untrained demigod like her. What satyrs had against rabbits, she would never know.

"Still, we should get you a weapon," Percy commented.

"To guard against fluffy rabbits?" Annabeth was skeptical. Back in her village, only the wealthy and soldiers could own weapons legally.

Percy cut off Grover before the satyr started another rant about the dangers of rabbits. "It's wise for demigods to have a weapon. This island is safe as I live in it but just in case..."

"Um, why is it safe just because you live on it?"

He seemed to either not have heard her or ignored her question. "Well, here we are." Percy snapped his fingers and the large bronze doors swept open.

Annabeth couldn't stifle her gasp. Gleaming bronze weapons of every assortment adorned the walls neatly, almost in a decorative manner. Celestial bronze, Percy had mentioned? Swords of every size dominated the left wall, while slim bows adorned the right. Polished shields and knives filled the space like paintings. There were more than enough weapons than all the weapons she had seen in her village. The island could very well easily take over villages and towns.

Percy handed her a sword, the length of which was more than half her height.

"Not this one," Percy decided when she couldn't lift it. "Here."

None of the swords seemed to match her as they felt either too heavy or light. The bow and arrow didn't feel right in her hands either. That fact went even more confirmed after they went to the target range and her first shot soared over the target and narrowly missed an olive tree. With a poof of green mist, the tree's nymph appeared to check in her tree. Affirming her olive tree was fine, the nymph made a rude gesture to Annabeth.

"Don't worry about it," Percy laughed. "I'm absolutely terrible at the bow too. I'm sure we'll find something for you."

That afternoon Percy accompanied her to the library where she promptly dove straight into nearest scrolls she could reach.

The days began to fall into routine. The villa seemed to not have servants, but Annabeth didn't mind too much as she was used to doing chores in her old village. Dusting was her least favorite task, but the beauty of the villa made even the most tedious tasks refreshing as she cheerfully dusted the precious scrolls in the library.

In the mornings she would wake up and have breakfast with the inhabitants of the island before her sword training with Percy. Though they hadn't managed to find the right weapon for her, he still insisted on having her train with a sword that best matched her preferences. After hearing stories of how demigods fared with monsters, Annabeth hadn't protested too much. Surprisingly, she wasn't too bad with the sword as Percy declared. He didn't even seem fazed, as though he had expected it.

Was her dream on the battlefield from before coming true? Was it a prophetic dream that one day she would be engaged in battle? Or was it a memory? Annabeth pushed such thoughts to the back of her mind.

Then after lunch, she would eagerly enclose herself inside the library or explore the small island with the nymphs and satyrs.

It was on these outings that she asked for information on the island's mysterious owner, Percy.

Although Percy was respectful and kind, Annabeth had the feeling that he did not know what to make of her. According to what she had learned, a demigod would have attracted monsters quite early on. For her to survive well into adulthood without a single monster attack or knowledge of who she was must have seemed an improbable chance. For that reason and perhaps others as well, Percy hid his wariness of her.

Besides the mystery of how she had survived so far, Annabeth was quite curious about Percy himself. Why was he the only other demigod on the island? If he lived on the island in such a grand villa, it must have meant that Percy had accomplished some truly great deeds himself.

It was on these outings that the chatty nymphs liked to regale her with tales of Percy's background. Annabeth nearly tripped over a rock when Juniper told her Percy was at least a century and a half old.

"Excuse me?" Annabeth couldn't believe her ears. Percy looked around her age, perhaps a few years older from the mature and sad look he sometimes had in his green eyes. "Do all demigods live that long?"

"Oh no," Juniper laughed at her disappointed look. "Percy's a sea god."

Annabeth looked at Juniper, but the nymph didn't seem to be kidding at all. Really, she should have just learned not to be shocked by all the revelations she was learning in the past couple of days. Was that what Percy had meant by the island being safe just because he lived on it?

That late afternoon Annabeth found Percy on the balcony, gazing into the ocean. He had introduced himself as a son of Poseidon, not a sea god himself. In the first moments she had met him, he didn't seem godly. But now as he stood leaning on the balcony, with the golden rays of sunlight landing on his tousled black hair, handsome face, and tanned skin, she could easily see him as a god.

"You didn't tell me you were a sea god."

Percy didn't even flinch at her silent entry. "And what of it?"

Indeed, what of it? "I don't know," Annabeth said truthfully. "Just a couple days prior I thought the gods might not have existed or that they were truly negligent in their duties." For all her prayers to the gods, she had still suffered in her life.

Percy turned to look at her, cocking his head slightly. The expression on his face was neutral, almost guarded. Perhaps this was the closest Annabeth was to seeing the real him and his feelings. "And what do you think now?"

Annabeth shrugged and joined him at the balcony, basking in the warm light. "Well, I've only met one god so far, and that's you. From you, I can tell that you're quite kind for fishing me out of the ocean and letting me stay here when I have no home to return to. Still, the sample size is quite small so I shouldn't generalize everything about the gods from one encounter. But I do hope they're as nice as you are," she added.

Even if they haven't answered all my prayers, she silently thought. Perhaps the gods were too busy to deal with a mere demigod such as her. Annabeth had already been told that the gods were not allowed to interfere much with their children's lives. She was just grateful enough that she had survived the perilous journey on the seas.

"Hmm," Percy commented at last. "There are indeed some gods who are not...pleasant to meet."

The tone of his voice suggested that he had met some of those unpleasant gods.

"Percy. You know who my mother is, right?" Annabeth asked hesitantly.

Percy looked startled, then chuckled. "Really...can't let things slip by you, can't I?"

"Am I not allowed to know who my own mother is?"

He looked at her with sympathy. "It is not for me to tell. Your mother will claim you when the time is ready."

Annabeth frowned. She hated not knowing, especially when someone else was unwilling to share his information.

"You hate not knowing," Percy noted. "It's not within your nature to not have the knowledge you need."

"So you should tell me," she demanded.

"Patience is a virtue," he quoted.

"Are all gods as annoying as you are?" Annabeth sighed. Gods, she hoped not. Maybe her mother was the goddess of impatience or something. It didn't occur to her until much later that perhaps she shouldn't call any immortal being annoying lest they blast her to pieces. Still, her savior didn't seem like the type to do that.

Percy only smiled.

* * *

**Percy**

"What do you make of her?" Grover asked as he and Percy overlooked the courtyard. They were observing Annabeth, who was currently listening to stories told by the nymphs.

It had been four days since the arrival of the female demigod. "Annabeth? She's not a threat, if that's what you mean. So far everything she says has been honest."

Annabeth had told her story of being a forced bride to the gods, and he detected no falsehoods from her lips. Percy had heard of such barbaric traditions before but had never seen such a hapless young woman actually become wedded to a god. It seemed unlikely that such brides vanished to watery graves as such events in his domain would immediately pique his interest.

Over a century had passed since he was a normal demigod, but human traditions seemed to be as inhumane as ever. The things humans would do in the name of gods, Percy thought, disgusted. For sure, there was no such ordain from the gods that they required human sacrifices for appeasement.

To be honest, he quite liked the refreshing truthfulness Annabeth had. Even when she found out that he was a minor sea god, her treatment of him was the same as before. It was quite unlike the groveling flattery others laid on him once they found out who he is. In fact, he quite liked the small quips and retorts she gave him, uncaring of his status.

Grover fiddled with the new reed pipes he was making. "It's unlike a child of Athena to survive to that age without some help. Their scents are pretty strong."

"True. Perhaps if she didn't realize what she was, then there's a large chance the monsters would have ignored her."

Percy thought of the questions Annabeth had asked him one evening.

Who else lived here?

Why did he live here alone?

How had he collected all those scrolls?

A long time ago, he had built this villa with the intention to live with his beloved. Now that his love had passed away, all he could do was haunt the walls and reminiscence the memories they shared. He couldn't help but collect a scroll every time he went out on a quest. With the hundred years that had passed and the numerous quests he undertook, the library was filled with scrolls.

Truth to be told, Percy didn't like staying on the island for long periods of time. The island reminded him too much of _her_ and the life they were supposed to build together. That was why he tried to take as many quests from his father as his father's lieutenant as much as possible. They were escapes from the reminder of how much of a failure he was in saving the people who mattered to him. Apparently, _she_ didn't want to see any reminder of him as well, judging by how quickly she left Elysium to be reborn into a new life.

But now there was the arrival of Annabeth. He couldn't so easily disappear from the island as he liked, particularly when a daughter of his father's rival had arrived in the middle of their domain. There was some protectiveness there too, Percy had found.

He watched as a few nymphs braided and wove flowers into Annabeth's golden hair. Most nymphs had brown, red or black hair, and Annabeth's golden hair fascinated them. Juniper said something to her ear and Annabeth laughed, the joyful sound carrying in the air.

Something about Annabeth had made him pause. Perhaps her story had garnered his empathy. Or perhaps he had been too lonely for these past decades and it was nice to meet a new face who didn't know about his past. Besides Grover and his half-brother Tyson, Percy didn't seek out much companionship. Grover had told him to find more friends and to move on from the past before the ghosts of his former friends continued to haunt him forever.

He had to admit that it was nice to converse with someone else on the island, someone who had knowledge of being a human and could connect with him. Even if she was a daughter of Athena, she wasn't insufferable. He never really cared about the rivalry between Poseidon and Athena anyways.

"Are you really planning on letting her stay?" Grover asked.

"I keep my words," Percy said.

Suddenly, far too quickly than he could prevent, a high wave broke from the sea and traveled inland. Nymphs screamed as the waves overtook them.

Percy swore. There was no way that the wave as a natural freak occurrence as the island was supposed to be protected from storms and waves. The rushing water was now going far too inland, swamping the courtyard.

Fuck. The courtyard.

In a flash, Percy teleported to the courtyard and willed the sea water away but the waves did not obey. Normally the sea was easy to control as if it was Percy's second nature. But something was actively rebelling against Percy's abilities. There were only a few who could do such a thing.

Then the water receded as quickly as it had come. Drenched nymphs spat out seawater.

Where was Annabeth? Percy quickly glanced through but she was nowhere in sight. The waves had taken her. What was left was a shiny green scale, like that of a fish.

Percy picked up the scale, his heart brimming with anger. Only one person had that shade of green anywhere. He had been dreading the day when his family found out about Annabeth, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"Percy! Is everything all right?" Grover asked, almost skidding on the wet stone floor. He stammered as he saw the murderous expression in Percy's face.

The scale was crushed into dust in Percy's hand. His home had just been breached, the peaceful inhabitants almost harmed and the newest addition kidnapped right under his very own nose. He was not going to lose another person under his protection.

"I'll be back." His half-brother had gone too far.

* * *

A/N: Some very interesting comments and viewpoints to my question of whether Percy can eat fish or not. That would be so awkward for him to eat one of his subjects. Thanks for waiting and reading, everyone! Loves you all, and keep an eye out for a one or two-shot coming out soon!


	6. Scroll 5

A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy!

* * *

**Annabeth**

Annabeth woke up, coughing and sputtering salty liquid from her lungs. Her throat and stomach felt like she had swallowed half of the ocean in one minute.

Breathe, she told herself. Breathe.

Slowly, she recovered a steady rhythm, trying to make sense of where she was.

A large piece of some green material floated by, perhaps a bit of loose seaweed or sea lettuce of some sort.

Something dark darted nearby. A shark? A small shiver ran down Annabeth's back.

Hold on. Was she underwater?

Annabeth's blonde hair had escaped the braids the nymphs had made and was now drifting aimlessly in the ocean. Her surroundings were eerily dark and cold, colder than what it was like when she had nearly drowned. The only faint light came by some sort of bronze braziers placed near by.

But how was she still breathing? No ocean water was entering her nostrils and her clothes were dry. Annabeth could only theorize that there seemed to be a layer of air around her. At least, she couldn't feel that there were gills on her neck.

Was she hurt in any way? There was a pounding in her head that made her wonder if she had her head knocked into some rocks. The last thing she remembered was a humongous wave that seemed to swallow her up whole.

Unfortunately, her arms and legs were bound with rope made from what looked like seaweed. The rope was so intricately braided that it interested her before she remembered she should be trying to get out of her bindings.

Annabeth tried to scoot herself on the sandy floor, thinking perhaps to find a seashell or rock, anything to cut through her tough bindings. They were starting to make her body ache with pain.

"I'd stop trying to escape if I was you."

Chills ran up her back, and it wasn't from the freezing temperatures of the water. That voice made her skin crawl.

She immediately stopped her actions and looked up, frozen with shock at the trident about to pierce her throat.

Since arriving at the island, Annabeth had seen satyrs and nymphs. There were pictures of other mythical creatures depicted in the scrolls from the library, but none had prepared her for seeing the humanoid creature before her.

For one, the merman had not one tail, but two tails, and some part of her brain not hardwired to fight or flight tried to work out the mechanics of how he was able to swim.

Sprouting from the two tails was one chest, muscled but riddled with battle scars and bites. Some sort of armor covered his shoulders, and he wore a belt of seashells around his waist. He could rival Percy's torso, she begrudgingly thought. But while this merman shared Percy's dark hair, his face was cruel as it was handsome, with his grin revealing pointy canines meant for shredding into flesh. Perhaps human flesh.

And those eyes...instead of the calm beautiful green she was used to, they were glowing green.

The merman swam around her, as if viewing her as a prize.

"So this is my brother's newest toy."

"I am nobody's toy," Annabeth snarled.

Her mind whirred its gears to analyze her presumed kidnapper.

So this was another child of Poseidon? He certainly didn't look like the result of a human and a god. She wished she had her sword or dagger to defend herself.

The merman was no doubt skilled at wielding his trident, and the sea was his home turf, but at least Annabeth would go down fighting instead of being bound like a helpless person.

"Ooh, feisty. I like that type better than when they cry for mercy."

The merman hauled her up by her hair until her face was close to his. Annabeth tightened her expression and turned her head as far away as she could. The merman reeked of rotten fish. Unfortunately, the thin layer of air could not exclude the smell of decay from her nose.

The unknown merman growled, painfully turning her head until they were facing each other once more. "Not a bad face for a two-leg," he drawled. "Not a bad body either. I can see why he's interested in you."

Annabeth's face flamed when her kidnapper deliberately looked down her body. She wished she could cover up but her arms remained stubbornly bound before her. Raw anger overtook her. If only she had her dagger.

The merman grinned at the discomfort and fury on her face. "Yes, give me more. I do love it when my prey struggle so beautifully in my arms. It makes the hunt so much more...stimulating."

His tails pressed closer to her body, and she jolted when his hips bumped against hers.

Annabeth spat in his face, not expecting it to make her target underwater. But it did and the merman roared in disgust. She quickly used the diversion to kick out with her legs. Her feet landed perfectly on the merman's torso, using the force to propel herself away from her kidnapper. Even better, she had stolen the knife from the merman's belt in the struggle.

She struggled with the knife behind her arms, cutting herself as the seaweed rope fell away. Her blood diffused through the deep waters, and she had a fleeting thought of sharks in the water. But with the merman swimming so quickly after her, sharks were the least of her worries.

Suddenly, she felt the oxygen barrier keeping her alive break and freezing water crash into her mouth and nose. No! Her mind thought. Panic rose as she couldn't breathe, could only feel water entering her lungs.

"Foolish girl." The merman laughed. "I am the one keeping you alive with my magic. I can just as easily leave you dead."

Her vision grew blurry, and she imagined the god of death was taking her head.

But warmth was there in the large hand clutching hers and suddenly she was breathing again, sputtering water that burned with every new breath of oxygen she took. An arm wrapped around her, holding her up. Annabeth found herself pressed against a warm and familiar body.

"Percy," she nearly sobbed in relief.

His expression, terrifying in its anger, made no change that he heard her, but his grip around her tightened protectively. Percy had blocked Triton's trident from spearing her with his sword, the bronze light glowing in the dark sea.

"Triton. Father requires our presence."

* * *

**Percy**

Annabeth's form was shaking with hypothermia, Percy realized. Even with Triton's underwater magic, being all the way down in the ocean was terrible for anyone not a sea creature, even if Annabeth was a strong demigod. The ocean was freezing where the sunlight could not penetrate through the dense waters, not to mention the harsh pressure in its depths.

"Hold on for just a little more, Annabeth. I'll get you back safely," Percy promised.

It was regretful he had left his cloak back in his villa in his haste to find where his brother had captured Annabeth. All she was wearing was a torn chiton, with one ripped shoulder sleeve that threatened to expose her upper torso. He quickly sent one hippocampus to communicate to the nymphs on the island for a hot bath and meal to be immediately prepared and ready upon their return.

She nodded weakly, probably tired and exhausted from the cold. Percy cradled her closer to his body, sharing whatever warmth he had, but her skin was far too icy cold for his liking.

He had been close to losing her with Triton's trident about to pierce her body before he blocked it with his sword. Underneath his skin, Percy boiled with anger. He was not going to lose anyone else under his protection. No, not again. Not like before.

Poseidon, god of the sea, appeared on the ornate coral throne of his underwater palace. Queen Amphitrite, her face full of contempt mixed with curiosity, sat by his side.

Percy noted Annabeth studying the two immortals despite her him being the exception, she had had no contact with other gods. Hopefully, his father was a good mood today, despite the grave look in his green eyes.

"Explain." The word was commanding, washing over his subjects.

"Father-" Triton began but Poseidon cut him off with one raised palm.

"I would like to hear from the girl first." The god of the seas commanded. Power rolled off from his words like strong currents pushing.

Triton bowed his head, although Percy could feel his sulkiness underneath. No one dared oppose Poseidon under the ocean, not in his realm unless they desired to be tore apart like a like a rag doll in a storm.

Annabeth still trembled from the chill, but her eyes and voice displayed her strength as she explained her story. Percy admired her. She had fought off one god despite her limited training, and now in the presence of other immortals, she remained calm.

"A likely story!" Triton barked, his teeth gnashing with disgust. "Bridal sacrifice to the gods? There has been no such thing, or else we'd have enough brides to fill a harem."

"It is the truth," Percy insisted.

"Hah! A daughter of Athena? Here in our territory? Father, I beseech you. Perseus must be conspiring with the spawn of Athena to take over your kingdom."

"Athena?" Annabeth ventured. "What do you mean?"

Triton pointed to the hairpin in Annabeth's hand. She hadn't recognized it when she was using it to cut herself free of her bonds. "My hairpin! I thought I lost it when I came over by boat. But I don't understand. What does my mother's hairpin have to do with it?"

Poseidon waved his hand, and the owl-headed hairpin turned into a celestial bronze dagger to her astonishment.

"See, the spawn herself speaks of it." Triton swore. "Besides, no demigod other than the children of Athena have grey eyes."

"She doesn't know," Percy implored. "She hasn't even been claimed yet."

"Lies! The dagger is proof that she is here to usurp our kingdom! There must be sort of conspiracy."

"I didn't even know I was a demigod until four days ago, not alone know who is my mother." Annabeth snapped. "And if I was a child of Athena, you would think I would be less stupid to take over the sea with just one knife that I didn't even know was a knife!"

Percy tensed, prepared to protect Annabeth in case things got ugly. In his opinion, family spats, particularly the ones of gods, were the most deadly.

"Peace," Poseidon commanded. "I sense truth in the girl's words. There have been incidents where young women are sent to the seas as sacrifices for the gods. Some other minor sea gods may have claimed them, but I know I have sent them safely to other shores where they will begin new lives in other countries. It was a small consequence to do," he noted to Triton.

"But Father-"

"Child," Poseidon said to Annabeth, not unkindly. "It is true that Lady Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, is your mother. That hairpin is proof she has claimed you, perhaps long ago. I can sense remnants of her powers running through your veins."

"B-but Lord Poseidon, Percy told me that demigods are claimed young, or else they would perish at the hands of monsters. Why am I still alive?" Annabeth asked.

"That's what I would like to know," muttered Triton.

Percy sent a silent glare to his half-brother. He usually steered clear of his unpleasant brother but at this moment he would like nothing better than to give Triton a good beating for what he had done to Annabeth.

"That I do not know, child. It is your path to find, and a difficult one, I'm afraid." Poseidon looked as though he was about to say something more, but thought better of it. Percy wondered what his father was about to say. Did Poseidon know something more than he was letting on. "But one thing is for sure, Percy will be responsible for you."

"Yes, Father," Percy assented.

He had been granted formal permission to be her guardian. After all, he had been protecting Annabeth from the start. Now it would be difficult for his low life sibling to try a stunt like earlier again without incurring Poseidon's wrath.

"Father, how could that be!" Triton cried out in indignation. His double fish tails thrashed in the water.

"Annabeth was sent as a bridal sacrifice, was she not? Then she can be Percy's bride."

Percy tensed. This was much different than he had imagined of being her guardian. Although Poseidon had gently told him many times to choose a wife, Percy could not. He would much rather have the painful memories of his first love than not have them at all.

Annabeth paled as well, though Percy wasn't sure it was because of her fate as his bride or whether her body was getting more frozen by the second.

"Why is she the bride for him?" Triton spat.

Percy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Despite being centuries older, Triton was still very much a brat at heart. He dreaded the day Poseidon ever faded as a god and Triton took over the seas.

Besides, there was no way now of his declining Annabeth as a bride. He'd shudder of the things Triton would do to her if she was ever sent to him.

"Child, Percy was the one who found and rescued you. I'm afraid that until we sort out why you were sent here despite our magical barriers, you are to remain at the very least, a guest, if not an honored position by my son's side." Poseidon said ruefully. "Which son, however, you may choose. I will not deny you of that choice."

Percy opened his mouth to speak but Annabeth was faster. "Percy," she gasped out. "I choose Percy."

"Very well." Poseidon stood up from his throne. "Percy. Take her back and let her rest. As for you, Triton," Poseidon's face grew dark. "We have much to talk about your less than pleasing actions. If anyone is the ignition to a war between Athena and our kingdom, it is you."

Percy bowed and Annabeth managed a curtsy. He gathered her in his arms and propelled them towards his island, closely embracing his new bride.

* * *

A/N: Hello friends, I am back after a long while. Yes, sorry, got distracted with my other story: How to Seduce an Earl. But that's finished and now I can concentrate on this for a while.

Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and as always, see ya'll next time!


	7. Scroll 6

A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy!

* * *

**Annabeth**

Annabeth shivered as Percy jetted them towards the island.

"I think I'm going to hurl," she mumbled. Her eyes closed from the dizziness.

He slowed down immediately. "It's alright, do it if you need to. Are you still cold?"

She murmured something incomprehensible as Percy held her tighter to his body. His presence was comforting, and she tried to hold on to what warmth he provided.

"We'll be back at the island soon. You were so brave back there. Just hold for a little while longer, okay? Don't fall asleep on me now." He warned.

Ah, yes. Falling asleep while she was this cold was dangerous. She might never wake up again. Annabeth knew he was conversing with her in order to prevent her from falling into the deep trenches of eternal slumber.

She shook her head, trying to shake off the weariness.

"Did you know? About me being a daughter of Athena?" Annabeth asked quietly.

It was a few long moments before Percy finally sighed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to keep it from you. No one could be 100% sure until you were claimed, and I was waiting for a sign to happen. You could have been a descendant from a child of Athena, for all I could tell."

They swam past forests of giant kelp. Percy's bronze sword lit a dim path as they drifted through the open sea.

Seahorses ranging from the size of her pinky finger to the size of a donkey darted in and out among the dark green. Once she thought she saw a shark poke its snout. Percy waved his hand at it, and the shark darted off into the darkness. It wouldn't be far fetched for a sea god to be able to communicate with sea creatures, would it?

"Why do you think my mother didn't claim me right away?" She wondered.

Annabeth wanted to be angry, but she couldn't. She had been left with her father and a new family, who adored her and treated her well even if not all the villagers did. Monsters didn't come after her, despite hearing the stories about other demigods had to deal with such threats since childhood.

Perhaps her own father had no idea who his beloved first love was. Whenever Annabeth had tried to ask, her father's eyes became misty and glazed, as if thrown back into long-forgotten and painful memories.

"Maybe she wanted to protect you for as long as possible. It would have also been risky to claim you in the middle of Poseidon's turf, you know." Percy answered.

"Would you have killed me if you knew for sure I was Athena's daughter?" She held her breath for his reply.

Annabeth was extremely aware of his arm around her waist. If Percy willed it, he could just as easily crush her with his godly powers.

Percy laughed darkly. "Do I seem like a person who would? I've met many children of Athena throughout my life. They're insufferable at times, but we get along with each other just fine."

"Wow, thanks. Am I insufferable?"

"Only when you're blabbing about architecture for over an hour. I can only listen to so much at one time before I leave Juniper or Grover to take their shifts in listening."

Annabeth lightly punched him on his shoulder. He couldn't dodge it, since he was holding onto her. Not that she meant to actually hurt him. Much.

Percy tickled her in the abdomen, and for a brief moment she felt more wide awake. "Careful there, haven't you learned its not wise to hit a god? For a child of Athena, that's not very wise."

"No." Annabeth grinned. "I did kick your half-brother in the area where his two tails were joined."

"I saw that. Good moves."

She burrowed herself into the crook of his neck and shoulder. It felt safe there, even if her body was feeling woozy and unmovable by the minute. The brief moment of clarity she had earlier was quickly fading.

They must have been swimming along for half an hour, most of it at high speeds. How far did Triton take her away from the island?

"Percy?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For saving my life back there," she whispered.

"There's no need to thank me in the first place. I couldn't stop you from being taken in the first place. And now you ended up being a bride to me," he said ruefully.

"It could have been worse."

Poseidon could have smite her into a million bubbles until she ended up as sea foam. Or the sea gods could have turned her into some sort of marine creature. A shudder ran through her as Annabeth imagined what her fate would be like as Triton's wife. She'd be shark meat in less than an hour.

But now as her mind was feeling calmer, what did being a bride entail? Specifically what did Percy expect from her?

"We're here," Percy announced.

Much to her relief, her feet finally touched solid land, even if it was just mainly sand. Their heads soon broke water, but they were somehow still dry. Percy's doing, she expected. But the moment, she tried to stand up by herself, her knees gave out. She made a note to never be underwater for that long again and for some opportunity to stick a sword in Triton's torso, sea god or not be damned.

"Woah! You alright?"

It had been day earlier, and now it was dark night. The coldness of the air seemed to penetrate to her bones, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"M-my legs," she mumbled.

Percy lifted her up, bridal style. Any other moment she would have been heavily embarrassed, but now she just desired for anything to help her crawl into a soft bed and sleep for days.

Annabeth's mind was in a stupor, but somehow nymphs got her bundled into a steaming hot bath and some hot vegetable soup in her stomach. When she collapsed into bed with the covers tucked around her, she was still shaking from perpetual coldness that she couldn't thaw out from. A fire had been built into the hearth in her room, yet the warmth did nothing to penetrate the bleak chill.

Sleep finally overtook her shivering body, and with it came the dreams.

_She was underwater, the ocean pouring over and over her._

_It was the humanoid shape again. _

_Choices, choices, the shape whispered. The sound was harsh in her ears._

_ Again your choices are not wise, daughter of Athena. I have warned yo__u to stay away from the green eyed one, have I not? _

_Everyone here is green eyed, Annabeth screamed back. Who the hell am I supposed to stay away from? Who the hell are you?_

_The humanoid shape just cackled at her questions, its hair swirling like poisonous mist in the ocean._

_Too late, too late! Shall I give you a piece of pain to recall your memories?_

_The scene shifted and she found herself in a midst of a battle again. But it was different than before. _

_A searing slash of pain erupted on her left shoulder to her lower right torso, tearing through her armor. Annabeth crumbled to the ground, her knees hitting with the dirt with a thud. She fell. _

_As her life blood slowly watered the mud, the last image before her soul slipped to the Underworld was a pair of grim green eyes that stared over her body._

_And she was sure **he** was the one who had dealt the final blow._

* * *

**Percy**

Annabeth was tossing and turning in the twisted covers when Percy went to check on her. He brushed his hand over her forehead, slightly shocked to find her skin so cold. Despite all the hot drinks and piled covers, it was like her insides had frozen and refused to submit to the warmth of the room's fire and all the blankets piled over her.

As if knowing he was there, Annabeth's lips mumbled something incoherent, and her tossing subsided somewhat. But she was so, so deathly cold.

Just like a corpse.

His memories shifted, and he was back over a century ago, cradling the cold, stiff body that used to contain the life of his lover. The vibrant and dark hair that he used to love running his fingers through now lay limp, the color of her slowly cooling blood.

His fault, all his fault. He should have died with her.

Percy shook himself out of his foggy mind and into the present. He paused and prayed to the goddess of wisdom that she would not strike him down for this. Even as a god, one had to be careful regardless. Godly wars were dangerous and painful.

He slipped under the covers and brought Annabeth's cold body to his. Her golden hair lay as lifeless as a rag doll's. But damned if he was going to let one other person under his protection come to harm.

Within moments he had slipped off his robe and the shift she had been wearing. He could explain his actions later when she was rested and healthy again.

Percy threw the covers back over them. His arm cradled her, pressing her bare back tightly to his chest, hoping his body heat could do more than the flimsy covers could.

"Percy?" Annabeth murmured.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"It's cold," she whispered back.

"It'll be warm soon. Rest."

Annabeth's breathing grew steady as time passed. Thankfully, she was no longer tossing from whatever nightmare she had earlier. He himself knew what terrible things the mind can dream of. As a god, he still dreamed. But Percy hated how he was plagued by memories of still being human.

With his arms around her, he could tell she was still all bones and skin, though not as bad as when he initially found her. He was going to have make sure she ate more. Meat was hard to get on the island, unless you wanted all the nymphs and satyrs to hate you.

Percy closed his eyes and tried not to think of the soft curves pressed into his body. It had been over a century since he'd lain with a woman. Frankly, after experiencing what a demigod life was like, he had no intention of siring children to suffer the same fate he did, even if they would only be children of a minor god. A demigod's life was always plunged into disaster and danger.

Besides, his heart was still broken into pieces after losing his one and only soulmate.

_In some ways he was attracted to her because she was human. Completely human and had absolutely no relations to the gods. _

_Percy found it a relief to be able to be, well, normal around her. No monsters, no gods trying to kill him. In her arms, he found peace and warmth._

_And well, other things, too._

_He licked at the curve of her neck, blowing a raspberry kiss in her collarbone, knowing that it would make her laugh. _

_"Percy, that tickles," she laughed, still clutching at his arms. _

_She looked like the most beautiful goddess he'd seen, and he'd met three in his twenty years of life. Her hair was splayed out on the white sheets, a painting of sunset on clouds. _

_Her brown eyes teased him. "You've got that glazed look in your eyes again," she announced._

_"That's because you're too beautiful," he replied. _

_His hands traced the sides of her torso, marveling at the smooth skin, a contrast to his scarred torso after so many battles. There was an adorable trio of freckles on the right side of her nose, and he kissed them gently._

_"Seaweed Brain, get on with it." She wiggled underneath him. _

_Her squirming brushed his aroused length and it was all he could to prevent himself from taking her roughly. Temptress, he thought fondly._

_As he entered her, her warm brown eyes took on a glassiness, too far gone in the throes of pleasure. _

_"I love you," he whispered again and again into her skin. _

_That was the last time he could ever whisper those words to her again._

* * *

A/N: Looks like we're slowly beginning to learn more about Percy's demigod life. Let the theories begin~

Hope you've enjoyed this. Let me know your thoughts, and see you next chapter!


	8. Scroll 7

A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy!

* * *

**Annabeth**

It was late morning when Annabeth began to stir. Her room was too warm, her body decided. Who put all these heavy covers around her? The weather was never too cold for anything more than a simple wool shawl placed around one's shoulders.

Memories of last night flooded into her mind. Oh gods, now she remembered. She had been kidnapped by a maniac merman with double fish tails and dragged into the dark ocean depths. Was she still alive?

Her eyes flashed open. They landed on the whitewashed ceilings above her.

No, she wasn't underwater anymore, but lying in the bedroom given to her in the villa.

Annabeth wiggled her fingers and toes. Yep, all limbs still there and attached. Hmm, although there seemed to be an extra appendage wrapped around her bare waist.

Hold on. Bare?

She peeked down and immediately flushed. Curled around her waist was another arm. Percy's arm, she recognized. His chest was pressed lightly against her back, moving up and down in a steady rhythm as he slept beside her.

So that was the reason why she was feeling warm all over. She must have been so cold from her escapade in the ocean that he decided to warm her up with his body heat. But did they both have to be completely naked?

A little lick of flame flickered into existence in her lower stomach. There had been something about her dreams last night, something about green that she couldn't remember. But what she did recall was the one dream where velvet hands had explored every inch of her body as if she was precious cargo. Hands that dipped into place she herself had not touched, fingers that teased her breasts until she had been gasping for air underneath the man.

Annabeth shivered as she instinctively squeezed her thighs shut. What was wrong with her dreams?

A little bit of embarrassment rose up. Percy had saved her life, and she was repaying him by thinking some of the naughtiest thoughts she had ever had, even dirtier than when she had those long ago crushes on Luke.

Of course, his body pressed so closely against hers was not helping. Gods help her.

Annabeth gently wiggled out of Percy's grasp, trying not to wake him up. Hopefully he was a light sleeper.

She turned to look back at him and almost woke him up by laughing out loud. His hair was tousled once more, with one side sticking straight up, and there was even a little bit of drool on the corner of his lips. Annabeth had a feeling that even when he was a demigod in the past, he had the same habit of drooling.

Now that she had gotten out of bed, where was her clothing?

Her memory told her that her clothes had been ripped in the scuffle with that fish bastard Triton. That had been the one set of spare clothing the nymphs had given her, but it wasn't much since satyrs and nymphs typically ran around nude or with leaves and grass covering the most important parts.

She picked up some cloth lying at her feet.

"That's my robe, you know."

Annabeth dropped the cloth and whirled around. "Oh, you're awake."

Percy sat up in bed, lounging against the pillows and blankets. How long had he been awake for and observing her?

"How are you feeling? All better?"

Annabeth could only nod. Then her cheeks flushed as she realized what position Percy was in.

The covers had slowly fallen off of Percy, revealing his bare chest. Bare chests were nothing to flush about, with many males in her village going bare chested, and especially since Percy often went bare chested when teaching her sword fighting. But her gaze had dipped below his ripped physique to see a quite erect cock between his thighs. In her readings she had learned that sometimes males woke up in the morning with stiff members, and apparently gods experienced the same thing.

As if sensing her glance, Percy also looked down. But instead of being embarrassed like any normal person would be, he looked back up at her and gave her a crooked grin. If she didn't know that he was a sea god, she would have thought him the ideal model of Hermes for the god of mischief.

When his green eyes started looking down from hers, Annabeth realized that she too, was very prominently naked.

"You, you imbecile!" She cried out, grabbing at the robe she had dropped in a haste to cover herself.

"Hey, you looked at me first," he laughed. "But I'm guessing that answers my question of whether you're feeling better or not."

Annabeth ignored him, struggling with the robes. For a daughter of Athena, she was quite clumsy with figuring out how to put on men's clothing. Where the hell was one supposed to stick their head in this billowy cloth?

The robe was suddenly whipped out of her hands.

"Close your eyes."

"Why do I have to close mine?"

"Fine, keep them open, then. I'm still naked. You can look if you want to, I don't mind. I've never seen a child of Athena look so stupefied before."

She quickly shut her eyes and felt him wrap the robe around her shoulders. Annabeth was distinctly aware of the unique ocean scent exuding from the sea god in front of her.

"I'll go and see what other clothing I have on the island that might fit you. Go and have breakfast."

Annabeth silently cursed in her mind as she ran out of her room in a huff, leaving her groom in all his naked glory behind.

* * *

**Percy**

Percy dropped his light-hearted manner as soon as Annabeth was out of his sight. He stared down at the appendage between his legs.

"Seriously? Just because I haven't bed anyone for over a hundred years, you decide that right now was the time to act up? For shame, Perseus Jackson Jr."

Lady Athena was so going to kill him, if Annabeth wasn't going to kill him first. He had to admit, waking up next to a soft feminine body hadn't been an unpleasant feeling. Annabeth was taller, slimmer, and less curvy than his lover's more voluptuous figure, but her body had still aroused areas of his body and brain that had lain dormant for years.

Think about _her. __She_ was so different, so unlike anyone he had ever met. But _she _would also want him to move on by now. Would she?

His heart would feel a stabbing pain any time he did try to move on. No one held his attention like her, with her tawny auburn hair.

Percy eventually found his bride perched on his favorite balcony over looking the ocean, still wearing his robe. She hadn't eaten in the courtyard, which to be fair, he wasn't starting to like since Triton had swamped through everything. Maybe it was time to redecorate or reinforce the magical barriers so even a sea god couldn't make it through.

"Finished with breakfast?" He called out before he approached. Now that she had her hairpin/dagger back, it was probably not best to startle her.

Annabeth turned around only partially and held up the half-eaten fig in her hand. Oh, she was definitely still mortified about what happened earlier. if her flushed ears were anything to go by.

He had been trying to go for a light teasing route after they had slept in the nude together last night, but it seemed to have backfired.

"Are you angry at me?" Percy ventured.

Women were still enigmas. It was probably best to assume the worst and then go from there.

"No. Why would I be?" The sarcasm was very evident in her tone. Her grey eyes stole a little furtive glance at him. He could see the little blush on her cheeks.

A little smile lifted up the corner of his lips without him realizing it.

Her stormy eyes glanced off into the horizon, as if they themselves were the storm clouds gathering over the playful ocean. "Percy, what is expected out of me as your bride?"

"Expected?" Percy hadn't given much thought to the situation at all. "Hmm, just be yourself. There's nothing you really need to do."

"Really?" Annabeth looked at him pensively. "I don't have to um, sleep with you?"

"You already did," Percy pointed out. "But you're more than welcome to continue what we did last night. My bed is wide open every night."

"Oh, shut up."

The pink flush on her cheeks was really quite adorable. Percy would never have expected a child of Athena to be his bride, but if he felt he could be entertained for centuries just by getting his new bride riled up.

"What can I do to make you not feel embarrassed or angry?" He asked lightly. "Should I run around the island naked? Half of the inhabitants go around nude anyways."

Ah, and there was the classic Annabeth scowl. "You can listen to me give you a lecture on the engineering of the Trojan wall."

Percy winced."No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes," she jutted out her chin in stubbornness.

"Anything but that. Look, I can jump into the sea for you. Wouldn't that be tempting? You can push me in." Percy jumped precariously onto the balcony railing. "See? Isn't it tempting to just push a god into the ocean? You'll never get this opportunity again."

"That's not a punishment." Annabeth shook her head. "You're a sea god. You'll just emerge all dry."

"I can turn those powers off." Percy offered. "Or I can-"

A hard shove threw off his balance. He could have easily gotten his balance back, but he let gravity take its course. Within the seconds it took for his body to hit the sea, Percy saw the amused and mischievous look on Annabeth still on the balcony.

_Whoosh!_

The cold chill hit his body, but it never bothered him, just as it never bothered him the first time he found out he could breathe underwater. Percy willed the waves to eject him out and then he was floating back down to the balcony.

"There, see? Sopping wet." Percy pronounced.

Ocean water dripped from his chiton, and rivulets of liquid dripped to form a large puddle of water at his feet. The sun would dry him off, or when Annabeth wasn't looking, he could just will the water away.

"Seaweed Brain," she burst out laughing.

Percy paused, his heart pounding. "What did you call me?"

Annabeth picked a large strand of seaweed off of his hair. "You've got kelp all over your head," she said fondly. "I've decided Seaweed Brain is your new nickname. In addition to you listening me lecture, I will call you Seaweed Brain as I see fit. What's with your expression, do you not like it? Should I choose Kelp Breath?"

Percy stared at her, but her grey eyes were guileless, innocent of the weight that her words had caused him to bear after all these years. It had been such a long time since anyone, or _her,_ had called him that nickname.

There was no way. It was just a coincidence, right?

"No," he found himself saying. "You can call me Seaweed Brain if you want."

* * *

**Unknown**

It was an universal fact that no one favored nightmares in a never ending sleep.

Memories had coursed in her mind as she slept, figments of a life reduced to ashes. What had been happy memories were slowly turning sour, growing moldy after decades of restless slumber. Dreams were nothing but nightmares. They were now toxins in her veins, poisoning and slowly turning her mind into decay.

She had tried to scream for help, but her body wouldn't obey. Her voice was gone, a tongue that refused to speak. How could she ever escape her rotting prison?

Sometimes she would have moments of lucidity, like breaths of fresh oxygen that barely kept her alive. Such moments came fewer and fewer now, perhaps once in a few decades. The last time such a moment had occurred, she had summoned all her strength to escape the bonds that held her in eternal slumber.

Perhaps some part of her had, but she couldn't remember. Invisible hands had dragged her back down to the depths of hell.

She was left with nothing but resentment and hatred now.

She would come for him. Him and her. For all the ones who had caused her pain.

Oh, yes, she would. She would swear on the River Styx.

* * *

A/N: Heheh, I love y'all's theories. Reincarnation? Perhaps. No one's completely on the money though...especially on the hair colors, teehee. But that's to be expected since not all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen in place yet.

Let me know how y'all like this chapter, and keep them theories coming.


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